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Getting rid of the itch of eczema
Harvard Health Q. I was recently diagnosed with eczema. Is this condition treatable without the use of steroids? I'd like to avoid using them if I can. A. Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic inflammatory skin condition. Some people with eczema have … How to Know When Your Dry Skin Is Actually Eczema Do babies get dry skin, too? |
Tag Archives: itch
Getting rid of the itch of eczema – Harvard Health – Harvard Health
Harvard Health |
Getting rid of the itch of eczema – Harvard Health
Harvard Health Eczema is a common condition marked by skin irritation. It can sometimes be managed without using steroids. How to Know When Your Dry Skin Is Actually Eczema | SELF |
Less itch and more sleep with baricitinib
A phase two study of adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis showed that once-daily oral Janus kinase (JAK) 1 and 2 inhibitor baricitinib relieved itch and improved sleep, a study shows.
Dermatology Times – Dermatology
Why does psoriasis itch and how can I stop it?
Psoriasis is a skin condition, that may cause itchiness. Find out here about the reasons why psoriasis itches and also the most effective ways to stop it.
Eczema / Psoriasis News From Medical News Today
Key to chronic eczema itch may lie in special ion channel
Recently scientists reported the discovery of an “itch molecule” (Nppb) responsible for conveying the itch signal across the synapse from sensory neurons in the skin to neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.
The media made a great deal of this study, which laid out a substantial model for how we feel itch.
Something I hadn’t noticed, though, was that the Science study considered only a subset of neurons involved in sensing itch—those that are activated by histamine. These neurons, at the itch-sensing end, have a type of ion channel called “TRPV1” that detects histamine and other substances, or “pruritogens,” that induce itch.
An ion channel is a kind of gate that opens when a key–such as a histamine molecule–binds to it. The open gate lets in sodium or potassium ions. When this happens to ion channels in a neuron, the neuron sends an electrical pulse down its length, transmitting information, such as a sensation of itch.
But there are other triggers for itch besides histamine. “Histamine-independent” itch is particularly important in the chronic itch experienced by eczema patients. (And that’s why antihistamines don’t do us any good.)
Histamine-independent itch is transmitted by neurons that possess TRPA1 ion channels. A new study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, shows that mice only feel chronic itch if they have neurons expressing TRPA1 channels. Strikingly, the scientists show that knocking out TRPV1 channels (the histamine-dependent kind) does not affect the ability of mice to feel chronic itch.
As a model of chronic itch, the researchers shaved the cheeks of lab mice and exposed the skin to drying chemicals over a period of a few days. The mice scratched their cheeks and developed classic signs of dry, itchy skin–unless their TRPA1 channels had either been genetically deleted or inhibited by a drug,in which cases they hardly scratched at all.
The researchers were also interested in whether the itch-scratch cycle affected the sensation of itch. If you don’t scratch an itch, does it get better or worse? The answer appears to be that if you (or, by proxy, a lab mouse) have an itch on your back that you can only scratch by rubbing it against the wall, it may torment you, but when measured by objective standards, skin that you don’t scratch ends up in better shape.
We can draw two practical conclusions from this work, which was led by Diana Bautista at UC Berkeley: that blocking TRPA1 channels with a drug in cream or ointment form could be a potential solution to the chronic itch of eczema; and that it really does appear that if you can break the itch-scratch cycle, your skin will be better off.
Now, we all know how difficult it is to stop scratching. It’s not as easy as saying that you’ll stop. But this type of research certainly highlights the positive feedback of habit-reversal, which uses psychiatric techniques to reduce habitual scratching. Scratch less…and you’ll feel less itchy.
I do have one question: does the molecule Nppb, reported in the Science paper two weeks ago, transmit chronic itch signals as well as histamine-induced itch? If so, it is still a valuable target for further research into eczema therapies.
End Eczema
7 Eczema Itch Relief
It is also called dermatitis and generally refers to several types of relentless skin inflammations. Atopic dermatitis is a common type of eczema, which is known to affect most of the people worldwide. Have you been hiding your eczema affected skin because you are afraid that others might notice it? If you are hesitant to consult any doctor regarding your condition or have done to little effect, then you must try natural remedies that you can apply personally.
1. The first thing that you need to understand is that eczema develops and is made worse due to dry skin. So make sure that your skin is sufficiently moisturized. Even if you don’t have eczema. Use natural body moisturizers that contain essential fatty acids to relieve the eczema itch. You will find that these reduces the itch greatly. Apply the moisturizer right after a bath when the pores are open. Do this twice a day and apply all over your body, especially at the spot where the eczema has developed. This can be done every time you feel the skin has dried at the eczema spot.
2. One thing you can use as a home remedy for eczema is something called calendula oil. In order for this to work properly you need to put it on the affected part of the body, 2-3 times a day.
3. A mixture of ground basil, olive oil and garlic can be used to sooth the affected skin. Besides applying this pesto mixture to the skin you can also eat it to cure the outbreaks from the inside out. Drinking a mixture of turmeric and water can also cure the symptoms. You can take a few baths that can soothe your symptoms. A vinegar and hot water bath is great at relieving itching and dryness. A warm tube with walnut leaves is also very soothing.
4. Don’t use anything with sodium laurel sulfate or something similar. Parabens are also typically a no-no. Stick to fruit-based or all-natural shampoos, preferably unscented, to impose as little irritation to your scalp as possible. Some good options include shampoos with coconut and yucca-based surfactants.
5. There are several home remedies for eczema itch and one of them is using herbal remedies for the same. Add baking soda to your bath water and soaking in it for up to an hour even has been shown to relieve eczema itch. So also, adding colloidal oatmeal (finely ground) to the bath is known to be an excellent solution for an eczema itch. The oatmeal not only stops the itch, but also binds the wound together and thereby helps in the healing process. Refrain from using this in your bath if the wound is still raw and oozing.
6. You can also use a very popular thing called evening primrose oil. There are various options regarding the use of this oil, it can be taken in a pill form, or you can directly rub it on the skin area.
7. If you have this problem on your feet then you need to try to keep your feet dry at all times. It is also a good idea to change your socks at least once a day. Sunshine has also been effective at treating these outbreaks and wearing sandals or exposing your skin to the sun in short bursts can effectively treat eczema. You need to be careful so you do not burn your skin.
Author is an online medical researcher on eczema treatment and skin care. Click read more on eczema treatment, how to treat eczema naturally.
“Itch molecule” discovery a big step forward
All over the media last week was the news that two scientists at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD had discovered “the molecule responsible for itch.”
This molecule, “Nppb,” relays signals from certain neurons that detect itch in the skin to other neurons that carry the signals up the spinal cord to the brain. The scientists, Santosh Mishra and Mark Hoon, engineered mice in which the gene for Nppb had been turned off. The mice could not, apparently, feel itch.
The media hype is evident. Nppb is not THE molecule responsible for itch. Several molecules are known to be involved in detecting itch in the first place, and we know many others must be involved in the signaling pathway.
What is remarkable, though, is that the scientists were able to define a model for how itch gets from the skin to the spinal cord.
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| Mishra and Hoon’s model of how neurons carry the itch signal. (Fig 4G from their Science paper.) |
We now know that there are at least two pinch points: the synapse across which Nppb carries the signal, and a second downstream synapse across which another molecule, GRP, sends the information to the next stage of neurons.
Blocking the receptors for Nppb or GRP would seem to be a prime candidate for an anti-itch therapy.
But, of course, there are complications. Nppb was originally known because it is important in the heart, where it controls blood pressure. GRP controls digestion. The genetically engineered Nppb-free mice died early. (The scientists said so in their media interviews.)
So you can’t just take a pill that blocks Nppb receptors everywhere. That would be a disaster.
But this kind of restriction on where a drug can act is well-known in pharmacology. That’s why, e.g., I can use the anti-pain Voltaren gel (diclofenac) safely by rubbing it into my joints, but diclofenac is known to be pretty toxic if you swallow it.
You can’t design an Nppb receptor-blocking topical cream, because the important synapses are in the spinal cord. A cream would only be effective on the surface.
But it might be possible to take a pill that blocks Nppb only in the spinal cord. I’m not sure how, but that’s what major pharma companies are paying their scientists the big bucks to find out. Maybe the receptors in the spinal cord are subtly different than those elsewhere in the body.
This is very exciting stuff. The massive question is whether the work applies to humans. I would expect it did. Mice and human immune systems are quite different, but our nervous systems are not. We most likely have an analog of Nppb that carries our itch signals.
Just to put this in context—the new work tells us substantially more about itch signaling than previous work in the field. I’d been aware of studies that had identified a class of itch neurons, or certain molecules important in detecting itch in the skin, but this research builds on those foundations in a big way.
End Eczema
Scientists identify two classes of itch neuron by turning them off separately
For several years it’s been known that itch and pain signals from the skin are carried by different types of neuron to the spinal cord and brain. But there’s more than one kind of itch. Scientists have now clearly identified at least two types of itch neuron—one that responds to histamine and a second type that responds to other itch-provoking molecules.
These results could lead to drugs that selectively shut down chronic itch in eczema patients but leave the rest of the sensory system intact.
Some itch is caused by histamine, which triggers an itch signal in certain neurons. But histamine is not the main source of itch for eczema patients. In eczema, most itch has its origins in allergy, when mast cells release “pruritogens” that bind to receptors on itch neurons.
For a long time it was an open question whether histamine and the other pruritogens were triggering itch signals in the same neurons, or different types that scientists could distinguish experimentally.
In late May, researchers led by Alexander Binshtok at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Clifford Woolf at Harvard Medical School reported results that clearly showed histamine and non-histamine itch signals are carried by different neurons. The research was published in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
The scientists used a novel two-stage experimental technique to shut the two neuron types down independently. Perhaps someday a similar technique might be embodied in an anti-itch therapy.
What they did was to exploit the fact that when neurons detect histamine and pruritogens, large-diameter channels open in the neurons to let in ions (charged particles) that initiate the electrochemical itch signal, which relies on sodium and potassium.
First, the scientists treated mice with either histamine or a non-histamine pruritogen. At the same time they injected the mice with QX-314, a molecule that blocks sodium ion channels (which are very small-diameter). The large-bore ion channels opened to let in sodium, potassium, and QX-314.
Thereafter, those neurons were unable to fire itch signals, because their sodium channels were blocked by QX-314. The scientists showed that when they dosed the mice with histamine and QX-314, one group of neurons didn’t work (and the mice didn’t scratch). When they dosed the mice with other pruritogens and QX-314, the histamine itch neurons worked, but other subsets of neurons were shut off (and the mice didn’t scratch).
The scientists’ technique is not directly translatable to therapy, because this study was conducted in mice and involved injection, which is not practical for daily use. But the molecular action they were studying takes place in the upper skin layers, and one could imagine that someday a cream or ointment might be developed that would include two components: one to open large-bore ion channels that detect pruritogens, and another to block the electrochemical signals in those neurons.
Hat tip to Ryan.
PS in a recent post I discussed the difference between TRPV1 ion channels, required for histamine itch, and TRPA1 channels, required for chronic itch. These are the “large-bore” channels mentioned above. Trivia: To trigger a histamine itch signal in a neuron, histamine must activate both TRPV1 and the H1 histamine receptor. To trigger a non-histamine itch signal in a neuron, a pruritogen must activate both TRPA1 and a special pruritogen receptor–“MrgprC11” in the case of dry skin.
End Eczema
Tips to Reduce the Eczema Itch During Summer.
I used to love summer. That was before I had a child with eczema. Suddenly I came to dread the summer months, as instead of improving Miss T’s skin (as everyone was sure it would) it became much worse in the warm weather and she would be constantly covered in eczema and hives.
Miss T dressed for the sun.
The heat can make our children incredibly itchy and it’s often a real challenge to keep them cool. Although for many eczema sufferers sunshine improves their skin, for some the sun means big flare ups and itchy nights with little to no sleep at all. Children with eczema tend to be warmer than the average child. It’s as if their body’s thermostat is set slightly higher than normal and so keeping them cool is really important in trying to break the itch-scratch cycle.
We often get asked by parents how to keep their children cool in the summer months. Here are some of our suggestions, along with some innovative ideas that parents have suggested to us.
Clothing
When the sun came out Miss T was desperate to run around with the other children outside. Bare legs were an absolute no-no as it would be only minutes before she had scratched them until they bled. Very lightweight pure cotton leggings and long sleeved tees really helped and meant that she could still wear pretty dresses and skirts over the top. Out of desperation for something pretty for her to wear, we also designed these lightweight ninja trousers.
Ninja trousers to stop itchy legs
The buttons on the cuffs were to try to limit her legs exposure to grass pollen and also to stop her being able to pull them up and scratch behind her knees!
Cooling Creams
We’ve always kept our emollients in the fridge during the summer months as applying a chilled cream can really help to soothe the maddening itch. One mum actually applies cream to the inside of her little ones pyjamas and then puts them in the fridge (inside a sealed bag) to help cool him down at bedtime.
Wet Wrap Therapy
Using Wet Wrap Therapy is a fantastic (and far easier) way to keep an itchy child cool at night and also a great way to add moisture back into their skin. First bathe the child to soak their skin and then pat dry and apply a heavy layer of cream or balm. Next dress your child with a damp layer of bandages or wet wrap suit and then add a light, dry layer of clothes over the top. As the water evaporates it has a cooling effect which can really help to relieve the itching.
Wet wrap suit to add moisture back into the skin
Pollen
With the warmer weather comes the added irritant of increased pollen levels. Try not to let your child play in freshly mown grass and keep their skin covered in a light material at all times. Pure cotton or bamboo fabrics allow the skin to breathe and are much less irritating than man-made fabrics. If pollen is a known trigger for your child then it’s worth considering drying washing inside, away from airborne pollen that can attach itself to clothes. Unfortunately dust mites also thrive in warm weather so washing bedding and sofa covers more frequently can really help too.
Paddling Pools
Splashing around in a paddling pool is a rite of passage for most children. However it can be far more challenging when your child has eczema. We would apply moisturizer an hour before we went out, followed at least half an hour later by sun tan lotion. As soon as we got home we would have to bath Miss T and reapply all of her creams. We found that Green People’s Organic Children’s sun tan cream is the only one that didn’t irritate her skin, but a lot of parents also swear by Sunsense Ultra.
A few years down the line and we are coping far better in the hot weather, although we still get flare ups, and a high pollen count is also a trigger for frenzied itching. Probably one of my most memorable summer days was the first time Miss T went out with bare arms and legs – such a simple thing for most children – but a turning point in her eczema and so a very special day for us.
For more tips on helping with eczema take a look at our Top Ten Tips.
5 Tips for Soothing the Eczema Itch
By Dr. Amy Duong (bio below) I want to share with you some tips that I offer to my patients to relieve the eczema itch, which can be very prominent, constant and so very irritating. The constant scratching and itchiness also prevents healing of the skin because of opening up pre-existing wounds and creating new […]
It’s an Itchy Little World